Original equipment manufacturers offer high performance after-market components such as engine and transmission assemblies. These typically include complete current production engines. Customers include classic car owners and restoration enthusiasts who replace older engines with newer versions. By providing current engine and transmission assemblies, utilization of the engine manufacturing facility is increased and excess production capacity is used. Typically, the engine provided is more powerful than older versions of engines. After-market engines are typically used by enthusiasts such as in classic cars of off-road vehicles.
Currently, most engines are not provided with controllers and thus the customers must purchase and calibrate after-market control systems. Many times the owners do not perform proper calibration and thus the engines do not perform as desired. Misfueled or mistimed conditions are problematic. Further, miscalibrated engines may also eventually cause damage to the engines.
In standard original equipment manufacturer vehicles, a controller is provided with the engine. The controller is provided with antitheft features to prevent the vehicle from operating when the vehicle has been stolen. Antitheft provisions in after-market controllers must be disabled since the various interfacing modules are not present. However, providing an after-market controller with an after-market engine may allow the after-market controller to be used for unauthorized applications in current vehicles to circumvent antitheft provisions in the controllers present.